I love to cook. More importantly I love to eat. I love food from beginning to end - planning the meal, shopping for it, prepping it, cooking it, tasting throughout, plating it up, savouring it in the right atmosphere and relaxing afterwards. Before I have even eaten breakfast I am thinking about what to have for dinner (or tea as they call it t'up north).
I am always experimenting. I don't always follow recipes and I substitute if I don't have the right ingredients on hand. I think I have learned this from my parents. My mom could rustle up an amazing feast with potatoes and very little else and my dad once made a pizza worthy of a gourmet restaurant when I whined "There's nothing in this house to eat!" The only problem is that it's very difficult to recreate those meals unless you remember to write it down. We never did have that pizza again...
My mom spent alot of time in the kitchen, cooking from scratch and making budget friendly meals for 4 hungry children - 3 of them were boys with hollow legs! She had to be very creative to accomplish this and I learned from her. My first culinary experimentation was when I was about 3 years old. I thought a sprinkle sandwich would be a fantastic treat and although my mom didn't agree she let me loose in the baking cupboard. I slathered on a thick layer of margarine on white bread and sprinkled away. Once I'd had a bite, my mom asked me how it tasted: "Hmm interesting" I replied. We had been taught to say that instead of gross or ewwww. Needless to say, my experiments today are slightly more refined. Though after moving to England I soon learned that sprinkle sandwiches, or fairy sandwiches, are a culinary delight over here. For children, but still. Hey, at least I was ahead of the game!
What is your earliest memory of cooking in the kitchen? Have you ever experienced the sprinkle sandwich?
dear Chloe Often on Thursdays ( day before garbage day ) I'll clean up the refrigerator and make soup. It's simple big pot , caramelize onions and chop and add every thing else could be leftover broccoli , cauliflower , celery , leek , carrots anything. let it all simmer while you read your morning paper and later add a box of broth ( unless you made your own ) let that simmer. Later pour it in a blender ( a hand blender would be better but I gave mine to marc ). N.B. if using a blender let things cool off……
ReplyDeleteYou then re-simmer and add the spices you wish , could be curry, fresh coriander or throw in a dab of sour cream or yogurt , anything goes.
Do and I always enjoy it and the best part is when one of us say’s…….. and we both smile cause we both know what’s about to be said…..We will never have this soup again.